Happy Holidays!

Forever...I know...

We have had Parker's 5th birthday party, his 5 year check up (44 1/4 inches for 75% in height, 37 1/2 pounds for 25% in weight, and a crazy low 3.5 BMI...we are at 2% milk again for P1 and P2). For Parker's party we had a bounce house. Parker also wanted a cake that I made (never tried that before) with a night savor on it. Paige was sick for the first time in her life (well except for the 12 hour stomach bug she had at 16 months) over the weekend of Parker's party...we think it was H1N1 because 4 days later Peyton had a confirmed case of H1N1.

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We also went Trick Or Treating around the neighborhood. Oh...and Peyton (as seen below) learned to howl like a wolf. Trooper taught him and it is one of the funniest things to see!

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Parker and Trooper went to hunt with my dad and brother to my parent's land (or as my dad calls it his "Ranch") in early November. They went again the day before Thanksgiving as well as Thanksgiving. Parker LOVED it.

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We had a great Thanksgiving. The food was good. Family time was even better. My parents and brother were here as well as Trooper's sister and niece.

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Parker and Paige are in Awana and love it. They have learned so many verses and have been asking questions that would not have some up otherwise.

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This week Trooper and I have 2 different Christmas parties we are looking forward to.

Pictures...

Okay...so I know it has been forever since I posted anything. So to make up a little, here are pictures from last month.

First off "Little P" He had his 18 month check up last week. He is now in the 4% for weight at 21 lbs and 7 oz. He is in the 8% for height at 31 1/2 inches. He is still our little man and we love his to pieces. These days he is into balls...base ball, foot ball, golf ball, tennis ball, basketball, or whatever he can find.

Paige turned 3 in September. Here are some of her 3 year old pictures. She is loving preschool, pushing Peyton down when we are not looking, coloring, the color pink, and having enough hair to do something with (when she will keep it in more then 2 minutes).

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Here is our almost 5 year old! He is also loving preschool. Parker also enjoys saving Peyton from Paige, riding his bike, building with his hot wheels, drawing with chalk, and playing washers with Trooper.

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Here are a few family picutres...or atempts at them...

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Preschool and Speech

This week end Parker and Paige's 3rd week in preschool. They love it. Parker goes 4 days a week and Paige 2. Paige (of course) eats all of her veggies every day (carrots and red bell peppers usually). Parker tells me that his teacher will not let him eat his carrots!

Here are are pictures of the kids at home ready for school and outside school...
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Paige has also started speech. She actually started her first session today. She is going (as of now) 1 day a week for 30 minutes. Paige is delayed in articulation only. Last year she was also 5 months delayed in her vocabulary. She has made up all of her ground there and is even a little ahead.

Last year when we set her goals, that was the main goal...to increase her vocabulary. At her age then (23 months when she started) that was what they needed her to increase because around then kids should be increasing vocabulary by about 10 words a day. That slows down as they get older so they wanted to make up for the lost ground.

She will get a report in 2 months to see how she is doing! So far so good!

Paige turns 3!!

Well today is the day our baby girl turns 3.

I can not longer call her a toddler (even though she has long been out of the toddle faze). She is now a preschooler (even though she has been in preschool since this time last year).

Hey well she is considered a 2 year old toddler for the school year (since she was still 2 on September 1st) so that makes her younger right???

Well either way, she is getting bigger and older every day (just like me...)

This weekend we had a little party for her with family. Cousin Tatum, Aunt Cheryl, Gigi (Jami's mom), Paige and I went to get out nails done. Paige loved every minute of being girly.
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Afterwards we went to Gatti Land with the boys (Troop, Parker, Peyton, Grumpy (Jami's dad), Uncle Mark, and Cousin Will) and let the kids play(we were kids at times ourselves). It was a blast.

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We all had a great afternoon together and enjoyed dinner at the house.

Yes I will post about Paige's speech as well as preschool last week soon...I have just not been on the computer much and today was about Paige's birthday!

Happy Birthday Baby...I mean Big Girl!

Tomorrow

Tomorrow is a new day

Tomorrow is a different day.

Tomorrow is almost here!

Tomorrow Parker goes to Pre-K. He has the new lunch box and outfit ready. He helped me pick out his lunch for tomorrow. He went to meet the teacher last week. He is ready to go.

But am I?

Since staying home (the month after Parker turned 2), I have not had him away from me more than a day at a time. For preschool last year he was only gone 2 days a week...Tuesday and Thursday. This year it is 4 days a week. It seams like such a long time. I know next year he will be in kindergarten and he will be gone longer, but still...4 days. I know that this is great for him and the program is wonderful (that is why I am choosing to drive 20+ minutes there 4 days a week and to let him even go 4 days a week).

Still...as a mommy that likes control, it is going to be another adjustment.

Speaking of adjustment...Paige is going to me starting school as well. Not at preschool like Parker though. Tomorrow we will find out more, but we have known this was coming for over a year now.

Paige is in speech and has been for over a year. Since she started, she has been seen at home. We have known that once she turns 3 she will be seen in the school. While living in Rowlett, we knew that in Garland ISD, she would be seen for 2 hours a week at the school (either once for 2 hours or 2 times for 1 hour each). There were not too many choices other than that.

Here in Leander, it is so different. They have TONS of choices and options for her speech. It could be as much as she would have received in Rowlett, or it could be every day in a preschool setting...with more options between.

Paige was tested on Friday for her speech to she how she has progressed over the last year. She has improved her quantity of words, but her pronunciation and articulation of them is still low. Tomorrow I will find out the results of the test (actual score) as well as their recommendation for her. On Thursday we will have her ARD.

I know as a teacher that the recommendation for her will be what is best for her. I also know that I do not have to (as her mom) let her do anything or more that I want her to. So, I am preparing myself for the worst (my baby girl gone all day everyday). I also know that in preparing myself for that, that might not be the recommendation, I do not have to take it if it is, and that she is going to be okay.

One reason I think she has improved her quantity of words is because she was in preschool last year. I also know that this year she in only on the waiting list so she might not even get in. This could be her "preschool" for the year.

Who knows. Either way, tomorrow is only a day a way, but has a lot of changes on the horizon.

Please pray for my heart and my control (or lack of) that I have in the situations and over my growing children.

As we all say...too big too fast!

America's...I mean Peyton's Favorite Pastime

Peyton loves swinging a bat. He loves throwing a ball. He loves hitting people, trees, sidewalks, balls, stairs, or whatever else with a bath. When Parker was 1 he received a baby t-ball set. He played with it often. Paige...not so much. Peyton, well the kids plays with it all the time. It is his new favorite toy.

Here is some video of him in action from about a week ago...



We sure do love our little slugger

Not Me Monday

Okay it is Not me Monday time again. Below is what I have totally not done this past week. Now, don't visit MckMama and she what she has not been up to either...

Last week I did not wear workout clothes 3 different days. Of those days I did not work out 2 of them. On the 3rd day that I did not wear the clothes, I surely did not put them on because I had errands to run and did not have time to really get ready so that was my excuse for looking the way I did. No, not me.

Last Wednesday I did not meet some of the girls from a moms group for the church we have been visiting as a park with our kids. I surely did not have pool stuff in the car. When we left, I did not notice my kids were totally disgusting and in need of a serious bath. I did not instead drive to my community pool, put swim clothes on in the car, and have pool time to clean off before nap. No, not me.

Trooper and I did not realize that our gym has childcare on Sundays so we did not bring a change of clothes in the car for after church. We then did not change and go to the gym (about 100 yards from where our church currently meets) before taking the kids home for lunch. No, not Trooper and I.

I then did not step on the scale while at the gym and see my HIGH weight!!! I did not totally wonder WHAT HAVE I BEEN PUTTING IN MY MOUTH and WHAT HAVE I NOT BEEN DOING AT THE GYM (well other than not putting on gym clothes so I can get ready and run errands). I then did not set a goal for myself to lose X pounds before my birthday in 7 weeks. I did not totally do that so you do not have to ask about it later (saying it out loud does not totally make you more accountable for it right...). No, not me.

Right now Paige (yes Paige), Parker, and Peyton are not all 3 asleep and so I am totally not about to get stuff done...Gotta not go...No, not the kids. No, not me!

Now it is your turn to let me know what you have not done this week

Thank you Jesus!!

The past few weeks (more like months I think actually) I have been praying and even hard Trooper praying with me for time. Time to get things I needed and wanted to get accomplished complete. With Paige not napping, moving into a new house (and everything that goes with changing addresses...again...visiting churches, unpacking, establishing a routine, and so on...), getting settled, Trooper in Dallas over 1/2 of the days each month, and keeping with 3 kids I have been praying.

In my prayers I have been also asking for me time as well as quite time to spend with my Lord...before bed! Well with Paige and her sleeping I mentioned earlier this week, I have found the time. She has started napping again we well as going to bed on time. The secret...it is 2 fold.

1. Put yourself out there and ask for help. Ask for prayers. As for any advise. Be real with people and express your frustrations
2. Sit outside your daughter's room until she settles down. Keep putting her back in bed without folding to any of her demands or desires.

I did this with Parker when he was young, and it would only take him a few minutes to go to sleep. I have done this with Paige before, but it would last about an hour sometimes.

This time...I embraced the time.

It has given me some me time of the computer to blog, facebook, and twitter. It gives me time to make phone calls, pay bills, and to through junk mail. But most importantly, I have had time to do my quite time with my Lord.

Thank you Jesus! Thank you for answering my prayers and for letting me embrace the answer! My sweet baby girl is getting the nap and evening sleep she needs, I am getting the me time I want and the time with you I need and have prayed for!

Pizza Time!

What is that picture of you might ask...or not really since the title gives most of it away. Of course it is pizza. The kids and I LOVE pizzas a (Trooper does as well). On weeks when he is in Dallas, I think we make pizza just about every other day. I have been tweaking a recipe I found for a few weeks and not I am in love with the results. It is so easy (and crazy cheep) to make your very own dough. For much less than the cost of pre-made crust or refrigerated dough, I can make 4 pizzas worth of dough.

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love it!



Okay so you might be wondering about what I put on top of this pizza...well as some of you know I can be a little crazy about making sure my kids get all the veggies they need. Trooper was out of town, I needed to use up stuff in the fridge vs. going to the store with 3 kids. I looked and found a zucchini. I pealed it, sliced it very thin, tossed with extra virgin olive oil, and my salt, pepper, and garlic powder mix. The kids and I tossed it on the pizza (well Parker and I did because Paige and Peyton ate about 8 slices each vs. putting them on the pizza). Of course I put the cheese and tomato sauce on the pizza as well. It turned out great! The kids and I ate it all.

Now for the dough I mentioned above...

In a bowl put 1 package of dry active yeast
mix with 1 1/2 cups of hot water and 1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar

let sit for about 5 minutes until foamy

add:
about 1 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

On counter mix and then create a well of:
4 cups of flour
1 1/2 teaspoons of salt

Add the wet in the center of a well of the flour mixture and kneed by hand for a few minutes or do it all in the mixer with a dough hook (my choice). Once it is together, put in a clean bowl sprayed or brushed with olive oil. Cover with plastic wrap and sit in warm place until it doubles (about 1 1/2 hours).

Preheat your oven to 500 with a cookie sheet or a pizza stone inside preheating.

From there cut into 4 pieces (if you are not using all now, you can put in baggies and put in fridge or freezer). Put a little corn meal down and roll out the dough...make sure you do not let Paige do it all because she will eat more dough than you realize. Put it on top of parchment paper that is sitting on another cookie sheet (not wax paper...found that out the hard way at my parent's house that they are mostly the same thing, unless you bake it). Put your toppings on. Slide the pizza and parchment paper from the cool cookie sheet to the hot one in the oven. Bake for about 6-8 minutes.

Enjoy...I know we do!!